The first thing you notice about 27-year-old Kelowna-born actress and model Brandy Kopp is her infectious laugh. It’s reminiscent of Cameron Diaz’s in that – once it starts - it’s impossible to hold back. It’s purely addictive.

Seems Brandy comes by her positive nature and modesty quite sincerely. Eventually she hopes to have a steady career that affords her the time to work on the bigger things and more meaningful projects in life like her newest passion, a charity called Caleb’s Hope whose aim is to empower women and children of more impoverished nations. “Since I was a kid I’ve alwayswanted to go to Africa. For somereason certain places in theworld pull you in and Kenya isthat one for me.”

Until then Brandy is devoting her time to various acting roles, most recently starring in the independent film Karma Baby and the soon to-be-shot The Riot, a futuristic thriller in which she plays a ballsy heroine who has to defend herself and her loved ones in a newly chaotic world where mobs rule the streets and basically all hell breaks loose. Her character, Victoria, is a role she’s looking forward to playing. “(Victoria’s) a kick-ass girl and Iget to learn how to shoot a gun.”

Although experienced in both sci-fi and more traditional acting roles Brandy admits she has no real work preference. “Sci-fi does stretch your actingabilities and imagination a littlebit more. Being chased by adragon down some stairs in themiddle of space is not the kindof real-life experience you canreally draw from.”

Brandy splits her time between Vancouver and Los Angeles and her California time is shared between work, her husband and a houseful of foster kittens. If a multitude of cats sounds quirky, it’s simply because she loves animals and does her best to help the ones she can. Her real quirkiness comes from a later confession that she one day wants to dedicate an entire room in her house to Elvis. “That’s how much of adork I am,” she whispers. When asked what every man should know about a woman, Brandy pauses. “Understandthat we don’t need you to beperfect,” she says, adding a brief moment for dramatic effect.